Bathing apparatus



March 3l. 1925.

M V. BAUER BATHING APPARATUS Filed July 24, 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet l March 31. 1925.

M. V. BAUER BATHING APPARATUS 1i1Aec 14 J uly 24, 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 31, 192.5.

sTArs MARTHA V. BAUER, 'WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OCE COLUMBIA.

BATHING APPARATUS.

Application filed July 24, 1920. Serial No. 398,627.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, MARTHA V. BAUER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bathing Apparatus, of which the following is a specificatiom This invention relates to improvements in bathing apparatus and has as one of its primary objects the construction of av bathing apparatus providedin its lower portion with a liquid receiving and distributing Y member or trunk so designed and construct- Y apparatus being also provided with a cover constituting `a liquid receiving and distributing member adapted to dischar e a shower of lifquid over the entire area of t ie supporting means. i

A further object is to construct a bathing apparatus provided with means for supporting a person therein, said apparatus be-V ing also provided both above and'below the supportin means with a liquid receiving and. distri uting member or trunk each of which trunks are adapted to 'discharge a shower of liquid toward' the supporting means. Another object is to construct a bathing apparatus provided with a plurality of liquid supply pipes designed and constructed to supply liquid receiving and distributing trunks in the apparatus with a counbination or mixture of various liquids.

'A further object of the invention is to construct a bathing apparatus having a plurality of liquid supply pipes each separately provided with means both within and without the apparatus for independently `controlling the flow of liquid therethrough in order that the occupant or an attendant v may thus cause the desired quantities of the liquids employed to be delivered into the apparatus.

Another object is tol construct a bathing apparatus provided with means whereby the liquid employed in the apparatusunay be excluded from the face and head of the occupanl.

further object is.`to provide a bathing apparatus so constructed that the occupant thereof, with the exception of the face and l head, may be enclosed therewithin and thus not only be protected from the varying temperature of the atmosphere, but also be better subjected to the action of the various kinds of liquid employed.

In the accompanying. drawings:

F iguie l is a perspective view ofthe apparatus embodying the invention,

Figure 2 isa horizontal sectional view through one side of the apparatus illustrating the arrangement of the valved pipeswhich are to supply different fluids to the apparatus,

Figure 3 is a view similar to,Figure l but viewing the apparatus from another angle, Figure 4. is a vertical transverse sectional View on the line 4-4 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a yvertical longitudinal sectional view through the apparatus,

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the structure which is to support the occupant, the

view illustrating the manner in which this portion of the apparatus may be employed as a wheeled stretcher, and

Figure 7 is a detail fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the structure shown in Figure 6.

The apparatus embodying the present invention includes a tub which is indicated in general by the numeral 1 and which may be supported in any suitable manner as for example by legs 2 located at itsl corners. This tub is preferably of general rectangular form and includes side walls 3, end walls 4 and 5 and a bottom 6. The bottom of the tub is preferablyvinclined from the lend wall 4f to the' end wall 5 so as to insure the carrying 0H of the waste fluid in the use of the apparatus, the said bottom beingprofvided near itslower or last mentioned end with a drainopening 7 from which leadsn 'an outlet pipe or hose 8, which may be of a flexible detachable type. The open top of the provided with one' or more handles 11 at its opposite side whereby it may be manually swung open or closed. l f

In orderthat the lid closure9 may be mechanically 'swung to open and closed positions.

tions, electro-mechanical means are provided\ jacent side wall of t e tub body.' A sprocket' gear 16 is also fixed upon the shaft 14 and a sprocket chain 17 is trained about this gear and about a similar gear 18 fixed upon the shaft of an electric motor 19. The nu meral 19 indicates electric current supply wires which lead to the rhotor 19 and are connected with the terminals of an electric switch located at any convenient point outside of the tub, thus enabling an attendant to control the flow of current'to the motor 19 and thereby cause the. lid to be mechanically swung to open and closed posi-` The .current supply wires 19 are preferably led from Aan electrical connection or plug 66 located adjacent' the tub. Wires 20 lead from the motor 19 to the terminals of any suitable type of electric switch indicated by thenumeral 21 located wit-hin the tub, in order that the occupantof the apparatus may also control the flow of current to the motor 19 and thereby cause .the lid to Abe mechanically swung to open and closed positions. It will be understood, however,

that any other suitable electro-mechanical means may .be employed for'opening and closing the lid, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

-The occupant of the, apparatus is to be supported within the tub in a reclining pos.

ture upon the supporting surface of a wheeled stretcher whichis best illustrated in Figures 6 and A7 of the drawings. This stretcher comprises. a rectangular frame which is indicated in eneral by the numeral '22 and which comprises side rails 23"and.

end rails 24. The supporting surface of the stretcher comprises a webbing 25 which preferably consists of a rectangular sheet of any suitable open .mesh material and preferably of 'material having.l -relatively arge `meshes so that the occupant of the apparatus will be freely subjected to the spray- -mg action of the liquid discharged .toward the under side 'of the supporting surface of the stretcher when it is in position within the tub. The webbing. 25 preferably is coni nected with theframe of the stretcher by.

engaging its edges' over the side 'and end members .of the frame and securing. the vsaid edges by means ofsuitable .fasteners indicated bythe numeral 26 so. that the'webbing ma be readilyremoved .whenever required an .thoroughly cleansed, although it will be understood that any other suitable means for attaching the "webbing to the frame .of the stretcher may be employed if lfound de- Birablea. VInasmuch as it is one of the objects of the invention that the occupant ofthe apparatus may bel as comfortably supported as possible, it is preferable that av pneumatic pillow 36 be provided, said pillow having a. head rest portion 37 as well as shoulder and arm rest portions 38 and being provided with any suitable inflatin valve 39. It will f readily be observed'that t e occupant of the apparatus will be suported entirely upon the webbing and the pneumatic pillowA and therefore will not rest upon any portion of the enamel or metal of the apparatus. In order that the supporting surface of the stretcher may be suspended within the tub of the apparatus and also in order .that thel stretcherv may .be employed as a means for transferring a person: to and from the apparatus, the stretcher frame 22 is provided at each of its' co-rners with an upwardly arched suspension member indicated in general by the numeral 27 and comprising a portion 28 extending vertically from the respective corner of the stretcherframe, a ortion 29 extendin downwardly toa pl ane below said -stretc er frame, and an arched connecting v" portion 30. Each downwardly extending lportion* 29 is provided with an outwardly turned lower end 31 and a handle 32, said handle being provided for use in lifting the stretcher when placing the s'upporting surface thereof in the tub or when removing the same from the tub. Each portion 31 carries wheels or rollers 33 which are rollers rest upona floor surface, the frame 22 and the. webbing 25 secured .thereto will beV supported a sultableA distance above the floor and thus the stretcher may be readily wheeled from place to place conveniently. Rods 34 vare preferably provided forcennectingthe portions 31 of the suspension members at each end of the stretcher so as to relativel brace these members. It will be observe by reference to Figures 5 and 6 ofthe drawings, that when thestretcher is to be arranged so that the supporting surface thereof will be suspended within the tub of the apparatus, the stretcheris `disposed with its frame 22 housed within the tub andv with the arched connecting portions 30- of the suspension members engaged over the upper edges of the end walls of the tub. The

lid 9 is slotted as indicated by the numeral 35 in order thatit may fit closely about the` arched portions 30 of the stretcher, b ut it is understood that said lid ma be'otherwise provided with lmeans adapt that a fluid-tight seal may be-providedbetween the lidv of the tub and the upper edges .of the walls thereof, (any suitable .packing `means 67 may be provided either upon the .under side of the lid at .the margin thereof 'covering will likewise cushion the contact of the suspension members with the upper edges of the walls of the tub when the supporting surface of the stretcher is lowered into position within the tub.

Supported in horizontal position upon suitable bosses 4() formed or otherwise provided within the bottom of the tub 1,;is a fluid pressure compartment or liquid receiving and distributing trunk which is indicated in general by the numeral 41. This trunk conforms generally in shape with the shape of the bottom of the tub but is of less dimensions so that the sides and ends of the trunk are somewhat spaced from the corresponding walls of the tub so as to permit of the passage of waste fluid about the trunk and to the bottom of the tub where it may run off through the drain opening 7 The trunk 41 is in the nature of a hollow body which may be made of any suitable material and which includes a bottom 42, side walls 43, end walls 44, and a top wall 45. The said top wall 45 is formed with a large number of oriices or perforations 46, and the said top wall is located immediately beneath a-nd suitably spaced from the webbing 25 of the stretcher. The liquid ldischarged into the trunk under pressure will issue through the perforations 46 in tine jets or sprays and be directed against the under side of the occupant reclining uponl the stretcher.

A `plurality of liquid supply pipes 49 are detac ably connectible with various sources of supply and communicate with a main mixing pipe 48. A mixing pipe 46', which is a continuation of main mixing pipe 48, leads through the end wall5 of the tub and discharges into the liquid receiving and distributing trunk 41 and this pipe is provided with any suitable type of cut-off valve 47.-

'lhus it is possible with the apparatus of the present invention to employ hot and cold water, liquid soap or soap solution, salt water, liquid solutions of various kinds, as well as vapors such, .for example, as steam, so that the apparatus is admirably adapted for use in giving Turkish-baths and various spe# cial baths which require the' use of different kinds of liquid or vapor. In each of the Y pipes 49 there is interposed a'y cut oi valve 50, and these valves are located exteriorly of the tub and are each provided with an operating handle 51. Other valves 52 are interposed in the pipes 49 and have .their stems 53 led through the adjacent side wall of the tub l and are provided within the tub with operating handles 54 whereby the valves may beopened andl closed by the occupant ofthe i tub. It will vnow be understood that the valves 50 and 52 are adapted to be independently operated to open and closed positions and that ltherefore the supply of various liquids from the pipes 49 to the main mixing pipe 48 and thence tothe pipe 46', may be controlled either by anattendant or by the occupant of the apparatus.

In order that the various liquids employed may be directed against the upper side of the reclining occupant of the tub, the lid or clof sure 9 is of hollow formation and includes an imperforate upper wall 55 and a periorated lower wall 56, the perforations in this wall being indicated by the numeral 57. Thus, the lid also constitutes a fluid pressure compartment or liquid' receiving and distributing trunk, and in order that liquid may be delivered to this trunk, a flexible conduit 58, which may be a pipe or hose, is led from a branch 59 of the pipe 46 and *communi- Cates with said trunk, avalve 60 being interposed therein so that the supply may be cut the conduit 58 is flexible and is of a suitable' length, the lid 9 may be Swungto open and closed positionswithout liability of disconnecting this conduit.

It will be seen by the foregoingdescription that the present bathing'apparatus is especially designed and constructed to project a shower of liquid both from above and below the screen-upon which the bather fis supported and thus th'e shower of liquid is simultaneously directed towards and directly impinges upon every portion of the bather. In order that the face of the occupant of the tub may be protected from the action of theliquids discharged into the tub from the distributing trunks, the lid 9 is formed lin its upper side near thevend wall 4 with a face opening which is indicated by the numeral 61. Arranged -within this opening is a elo-- sure or shield 62 which may be of rubber or any other exible waterproof material suitable for the purpose, and this shield dependswithin the interior of the tub and is provided with a longitudinal slit 63 through which the faceand head of the occupant may-protrude. l Itis preferable that a thermometer 64 be arranged upon the lid 9 immediately in front of the face opening 61 so that the occupant of the apparatus may readily note the teniperature of the liquids being employed.

Any suitable type of guard 65 may be providedv and may be detachably secured in any suitablemanner and by any suitable means over the handles 54 of the valves 52 and over the .switch 21, this guard being employed when. an attendant is to operate the valve handles and the switchlocated exteriorly ofl the apparatus. l Y

o' when desired. Owing to' the fact that tions in construction and form within thev scope of thel appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed asnew is: i

1. In a bathing apparatus, a tub and a closure therefor said closure being of hollow formation and lforming a compartment adapted to receive and distribute liquid unressure, said compartment having a der ,liqui distributing surface substantially equal in area with that of the closure and adapted to roject a shower of liquid-over the entire a jacent side of the bather.

2. vIn a bathing apparatus, a tub, means associated `with the tub adapted to receive and distribute liquid under pressure, saidO means having a liquid distributing surface substantially equal in area.` to a wall of the tub, and a closur'e forth'e tub said closure being provided with a compartment adapted to receive and distribute liquid under pressure, said compartment having ali uid distributing surface substantially equa in area to that of the closure. f

3. In a bathing apparatus, a tub, and a closure therefor having a hollow formation provided with orifices in its inner surface, said hollow formation being substantially co-extensive with theclosure and adapted to receive and distribute liquid under pres,-

sure.

4. In a bathing apparatus, a tub,a liquid receiving and distributing compartment associated therewith having a li uid distributing surface substantiallyequa in area to a wall of the tub, a'cover for the tub, a liquid receiving and distributin compartment in the closure having a liqui distributing surface substantiall equal in area to that of the closure, a plura ity of liquid supplypipes, a mixin pipe communicating with the plurality o supply pipes 'and adapted to supply the li uid to said compartments, and means where y the ilow of liquid throu hsaid pi es may be independentl contro ed.

. n testimony whereof I a my signature.

. MARTHA V. BIAUER. [n 15.] 

